Washington, D.C.- Neda Bolourian, a lawyer in Bethesda, Maryland, is running to represent District 2 on the Montgomery County Council.

A first generation American of Iranian descent, Bolourian received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, a master’s degree in international relations from St. Mary's University of San Antonio, Texas, and a JD from the University of District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law.

While at UDC, Bolourian worked as a student attorney for an immigration law clinic as well as a low-income tax clinic, providing legal advice and negotiating deals for lower income residents of the Washington, D.C. "As the daughter of immigrants, working to help people achieve the same dreams that my parents had for me was an incredibly rewarding experience,” she told PAAIA.

Bolourian currently writes, revises, and negotiates contracts as Associate Counsel for a financial services firm in Bethesda. A committed advocate for reproductive rights, she has also worked closely with women’s rights activists to co-organize the "Summer of Trust” walk in Germantown, helping to protect access to reproductive healthcare for Maryland women.

Bolourian told PAAIA that she decided to run to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in Montgomery County and to provide transparency to the people. "There is a huge divide between people’s interests and their representatives in Rockville that is eerily reminiscent of what is plaguing Washington. I refuse to let that happen.”

Asked about the issues facing Montgomery County, Bolourian said there are many critical issues, including climate change, income inequality, education, taxation, and transportation. A lifelong environmental activist, she said she also plans to ensure that the county protects Ten Mile Creek through the use of activism and the law.

"I am an activist lawyer who believes in honesty in politics. I want to bring a fresh, young perspective to the Montgomery County Council,” Bolourian told PAAIA. "I am also energetic and ready for any challenge that comes with the office.”

Bolourian will be challenging the incumbent and current council president Craig Rice (D-Upcounty).

District 2 encompasses Barnesville, Boyds, Comus, Damascus and Hyattstown as well as Germantown and Clarksburg, two of the most booming regions in Maryland. It also includes the planned community of Montgomery Village, Goshen, and parts of Darnestown and North Potomac.